"Yes. I've heard that before," Sylvia said, with a valiant little smile. "I should prefer to be friendly with him myself."
"Ah, sure and you're right," said Kelly. "But is it yourself that could be anything else? Why, he worships the very ground under your feet. I saw that clear as daylight that time at Brennerstadt."
She felt her heart quicken a little. "How—clever of you!" she said.
He nodded with beaming appreciation of the compliment. "You'll find my conclusions are generally pretty near the mark," he said. "It isn't difficult to know what's in the minds of the people you're fond of. Now is it?"
She stifled a sigh. "I don't know. I'm not very good at thought-reading myself."
He chuckled like a merry child. "Ah, then you come to me, Mrs.
Ranger!" he said. "I'll be proud to help ye any time."
"I expect you help most people," she said. "You are everybody's friend."
"I do my best," said Donovan Kelly modestly. "And, faith, a very pleasant occupation it is."